Improvement in apparatus for lighting gas by electricity



-W. J., MORRIS & W. J. REID. APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING GAS BY ELECTRICITY.

Nd. 101,491. Patented Apr. 5, 1870.

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WALTER J. MORRIS AND WILLIAM J. RElD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 101,491, dated April 5, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING GAS BY ELECTRICITY.

The Schedule referred to in than Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WALTER J. Mourns and WILLIAM J. REID, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new andimproved Device for Lighting (-Jras by Electricity and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in whieh Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, ofthe apparatus for lighting gas by electricity.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same. v

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the plane of the line 7 y, fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a detail side view of the main armaturelever.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invenlion is to light a suitable number of gas-jets with a battery which is but little more powerful than would be required to light one, and overcome the resistance of the main conductor.

By the peculiar arrangement, the current never passes through more. than one eiectro-umgnet at a time.

Three electro-magnets A, B, and are used in the apparatus, each having au'independent conductor of electricity from the baitLl), and no two of the magnet-s or conductors are in contact with the battery atthe same time.

The magnet closes by means of an arm, 1, of its armatnre 'lcver (3-, the valve 1.) in a chamber E ofthe gas-pipe X.

\Vheu the magnet is charged, it draws to itself the armature F, which is firmly secured to the lever 'G pivoted at the point H to the frame Y of the upparatus.

The lever G is in a horizontal position and has a vertical arm, I, witha fork at its upper extremity, in which rests the pin J of the valve-crank K, which, through the medium of its arbor, a, and inner lever, 11, raises the valve D to its seat, 0, in the gas-pipe, the pressure of gas being under the valve, and holding it closed.

The lever I has at its upper end a. horizontal arm, L, which moves, as the valve is being closed, the armature-lever M away from the magnet O, by striking against the lower end of the said lever M.

The arm L also strikes a small lever, N, which is secured to an uprightswiviel-rod, O.

Tothe upper end of the swivel-rod 0 is secured another small lever, P, which has a vertical arm, (I, carrying a. horizontal pin, 0, that is tipped with platina.

By the aforesaid motion of the arm L, the rod 0 is turned until platina iip comes in contact with a corresponding stationary tip, R. The upper end oi the armaturc-leverM catches then behind a shoulder of the lever I, and locks the tips I it together.

in like manner the rleelro-maguetli, when ex ited, draws the armature S at the other end of the lever G, moving thereby the lever H .l in a direction oppos site lo that caused by the magnet A, and ibrces the valve 1) ofi'its seat, permitting the gas to flow inlo the burner V, above which the points 6 it are held in contact. The arm L of the lever l is removed from the upper armature-lever M and small lever so that, when the magnet U is charged, the lover M is free in move toward its magnet.

The magnet draws, when excited, the armature T on the lever M to itself, moving the lever M and releasing the lever 1, liberating thereby a spring, U, by which the rod 0 is turned, so as to sever the connection of the platina tips 0 ll. By this disconnection, a spark is produced at the instant of separatiou, sufficienily powerful in light the 'gasissning from the burner As each of the magnets A, B, U is worked through separate conductors, the battery may be turned by a switch to the magnet 13, which opens the valve, and when the "as has driven the air from the tube, the magnet U may receive the current, which. will light the gas; and, when it is desirable to extinguish the light, the current should be turned to the magnet A, which closes the valve and arranges the levers of the magnet O for a fresh operation.

lho .-onucctious for the clcctro-cnrrent are so arranged that, after a magnet has done its work of opening or closing a valve, or lighting the jet, it is itself thrown out of the cireni and the connection transferred from the ground to the main conductor beyond, and which leads to the next instrument.

The wires f g h lead from the battery, or, more properly, from the switch, and connect with the mug nets A, B, and C, respectively.

The wires 'ij i are the main conductors to the next instriunent.

I in are springs, secured in the frame opposite the ends of the lever G, and provided with platina tips n 11. They have a metallic connection with the ground, through the frame and gas-pipe.

Each of the magnets A and B is provided with additional armatures, (1, which are placed in the same. plane as the main armatnrcs F S, but pivoted in the main lever G at the points *r I".

To each end of the lever G is secured an upright insulating-arm, s, as shown.

The main conductors 'i andj are respectively connected with springs t n, which are held between the spring I m and the outer arms of the additional armar turcs p q.

The springs I n are insulated from the frame by the blocks 'v, and are made vertically adjustable by screws, 10 w.

Hooks or catches on the inner faces of the springs t'u slip over the blocks s at the ends of the lever G, when such ends are at their maximum distance from their magnets, and the catches therefore hold the lever securely in that position, thus securing the valve 1) open or closed, as the case may be.

In the drawing the valve is represented as closed,.. and the catch a is shown as having slipped over the block 8 of the lever G, while the other catch, t, is

thrown back by the other block, 3.

The catches can again be released or tripped by the the armatures p and g through their levers; for if the magnet B should become excited in the position shown in the drawing, the catch a prevents the lever G from moving toward 13.. But the armature q is drawn to the magnet, and its lever trips the catch a, and thus relieves the lever G. This conditionalternates from one end of the lever to the other, as the valve is opened or closed.

In the drawings, the connections are arranged for the magnet B. The current from the wire g passes. through the magnet B, and is led by the wire a to a platina point, I), which is insulated on the pawl t, and held in place by means of a screw, i. The platina point b is in contact with the tip n, of the ground-connection spring 1. \Vheu the magnet B is excited, the lever G is moved, and the catch t slips over the end ot' thc block s, breaking the connection at n, thus stopping the flow of the current through the magnet B;

- But a wire, 11, leads from the main battery wire g to a metallic point on 8, against which the catch 1, which is part of the main conductor i, rests; so the current, no longer passing through the magnet B, passes thfiru h the main conductor i to the next instrument. This arrangement of connection is shown for the magnet A, and need notbe further described. it will be seen that, when either of the magnets A orB has been used, the current cannot again be passed through it'until the other has arranged its connections.

The magnet O is connected with the battery by means of the wire 71-, secured to a clamp. c. which is insulated from the gas-pipe.

The current passes up through the frame-work to the lever P and its platina tip 2 to the similar platiua tip 1i, down its holderf' through the wire I. to the magnet (l.

A wire, g, from the magnet G, connects with the. ground by means 01' the gas-pipe. The circuit being complete through the magnet, it is charged and draws the armature .T to itself, which, moving the lever M,

releases the small lever l, which, drawn by the spiral spring U, separates the connection otc and R, which stops the flow of electricity through the magnet, at the same time lighting the gas.

The lever P moves back and strikes an arm, Ir, which, forming part of the main conductor 1'', is insulated from the apparatus, and the current passes directly to the next instrument.

It will be seen that the next instrument does not receive the current until the lever 1 moves, severs its connection e R, and forms the connection at h. The separation of the points 0 1t induces a spark snllicientto light the gas.

Having thus described our invention,

\Ve claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. The arrangement of the three magnets A, it, and (3, on a gas-lighting apparatus, so that all are operated by one battery, but separately, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The magnet A, arranged on the gas-lightingappartus, to close the valve in the gas-pipe, as set forth.

3. The magnet B, arranged on a gas-lighting apparatus to open the valve in the gas-pipe, as set forth.

4. The magnet 0, arranged to operate, by the combined action of its armature and of the spring U, the platina tips r ll, which produce the sparks, as specitied.

5. The apparatus, arranged substantially as described, to apply the full power of the battery, less resistance ot' the crunlnctors upon each instrmnent, and upon only one until its duty is performed, the currents then passing to the next instrument, and not passing through more than one magnet at a time. 6. The wires and springs so arranged asto form the electric connections, and retain them until the armatures have completed their full strokes, and then breaking them suddenly and completely, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

7. The springcatches t u and additional armatures p 1 so arranged as to lock the main armature-lever, as set forth.

The above specification of our invention signed by us this 28th day of April, 1860, and 23d day of November. N69.

WALTER J. MORRIS. WM. J. REID.

Witnesses for Mourns:

FiriNK BLOCKLl-JY, War DEAN OVERl-JLL.

Witnesses for Barn;

L. W. BAu'rLn'rr, E. G. Brnxnlm. 

